A Twist Of Fate
by Greesha
Summary: What if Leia grew up on Tatooine and Luke grew up on Alderaan? *FINISHED*
1. Chapter 1

This is how I think Star Wars would have happened if Leia had grown up on Tatooine with Owen and Beru Lars and Luke had grown up with the royal family on Alderaan instead of the other way around. This takes place sort of at the beginning of ANH, except Luke knows he's a Jedi, and Leia is trying to take the plans for the Death Star to Yavin IV along with her friend Biggs Darklighter...   
  
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Prince Luke Organa was heading back home from Dagobah, where he had been training with the Jedi master Yoda. He had been given the shock of his life when he had been told that he was to become a Jedi. It had to be done in secret, because otherwise he would be killed, Obi-Wan had warned him. So he had traveled to Dagobah and met Master Yoda for the first time. He had begun his Jedi training.   
  
Now, he was on his way to join the Rebel Alliance in their fight against the Empire. Perhaps after the Imperials were defeated a new Jedi Order could be formed, one that would continue to bring freedom and justice to the galaxy.   
  
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"Biggs, where are you?" Leia Skywalker asked quietly, not expecting an answer from someone who wasn't there. According to her wrist chronometer, he was supposed to be there nearly ten minutes ago. He had never been late before. What had happened to him?   
  
Suddenly she heard footsteps, and her hand immediately went to her blaster. "Who's there?"   
  
"Relax, Leia, it's me," came Biggs's voice.   
  
Leia moved her hand away from her blaster. "What took you so long?" she complained.   
  
"Sorry," he said, without really answering her question. "Do you have the plans?"   
  
"Can't wait to get rid of them. Can't you tell how jumpy I am? We need to take them to the Rebel Base right away. It's vital to the survival of the Alliance."   
  
"Sure thing. Did you tell your aunt and uncle you were going?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Good. It's better that way. They won't suspect anything. If they're questioned, they can say truthfully that they knew nothing."   
  
"You ready to go?"   
  
"My ship's outside."   
  
"Just let me go get Artoo."   
  
She started to leave, but Biggs stopped her. "You're doing what? What do we need that droid for?"   
  
"I put the plans for the Death Star into his memory banks. He'll know where to bring them if we die."   
  
"So, where is he?" Biggs asked.   
  
Leia went to the area where the droid was usually kept, and when she got there she let out a curse. "Stupid droid!"   
  
"What happened?" Biggs asked, rushing over to her.   
  
"Stupid droid ran away again!"   
  
"What do you mean, again?" Biggs was starting to get angry. "Haven't you ever heard of this nifty new invention called a restraining bolt?"   
  
"Shut up," Leia ordered. "He ran away when I first got him, but I thought it was a short circuit or something, because it stopped when I got him fixed. I haven't needed a restraining bolt for years!"   
  
"Did he know what you put into his memory?"   
  
"Of course he did. I had to make sure he knew what to do in case we didn't make it." Suddenly a thought came to her. "Maybe he misunderstood my instructions and...Oh no!" She grabbed her coat. "We'd better go out and look for him. He couldn't have gone far."   
  
"It'll have to wait till morning. The sand people--"   
  
"It can't wait! The sand people are nothing compared to what will happen to the galaxy if the Empire's new secret weapon is not destroyed!" Without waiting to see if Biggs was following her, she hopped on her speeder and started off.   
  
"Wait for me!" Biggs yelled as he made a flying leap onto the back of the speeder. And together they went through the darkness on a hopeless search while Leia cursed herself for being so stupid, even though she couldn't have known what was to happen next.   
  
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With an occasional beep or whistle, Artoo-Detoo rolled across the sand of Tatooine. Inside of him were the plans for the Empire's superweapon, plans that he needed to get to the Rebels on Yavin IV.   
  
Something had made him run away that night. Whether it was his circuits going haywire or his all-too-frequent delusions of grandeur we will never know; but he did save Leia's life that night.   
  
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	2. Chapter 2

"Leia, we've been searching all night," complained Biggs. "He's nowhere in sight."

"It's all my fault," Leia said. "It's all my stupid fault. I never should have put the plans into Artoo's memory banks."

"You never told me how you got the plans in the first place."

"I'd rather not talk about it. Anyway, it doesn't matter now, does it?" she asked bitterly.

"Wait a minute!" Biggs exclaimed suddenly. "I think I see him!"

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The Imperials had traced the plans to a moisture farm on Tatooine. Disguised as Tusken Raiders, the storm troopers had ransacked the place, killing the old man and woman who lived there. But the plans were nowhere to be found.

"Lord Vader," the commanding officer said to the hologram of the Sith Lord, "we cannot locate the plans."

For a moment, the only sound was the awful woosh of Vader's breathing. Then he replied, "They are still somewhere on Tatooine with the plans. Find them and kill them."

"M'lord, what if they have already escaped?"

"They have not."

The commanding officer wanted to ask how he could be so sure, but Vader's tone of voice was one that discouraged any further questioning. "Yes, milord. And the moisture farm?"

"Destroy it."

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"Artoo!" shouted Leia, running toward the squat dome-shaped droid. "Artoo, you stupid droid, don't you ever do that to me again! Do you realize all the trouble--" She stopped in the middle of her sentence when Artoo began beeping angrily.

"What's he saying?" Biggs asked, but she was too busy yelling at Artoo to translate.

"No, I did not tell you to get a transport to Yavin IV! I said that if anything happened to us you had to get there on your own." More beeping. "Artoo, stop being so stubborn! We need to go and you're coming with us!" Three short beeps and a whistle. "What?"

At that moment, Biggs screamed, and Leia spun around to face a masked Tusken Raider.

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	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer (I always forget this, and I know it's probably supposed to be at the beginning but too bad I'm sticking it in here): I do not own Star Wars. George Lucas does. I may wish I thought of it first, but there's nothing I can do about that, now is there?  
  
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When Leia woke, the first thing she noticed was a dull, throbbing ache all over her body, but especially in her head. She slowly opened her eyes, the blinked in a feeble attempt to clear the blurriness of the image. "She's awake," whispered a voice she did not recognize.  
  
She felt a warm hand clasp hers. "I was so worried about you. You were out for so long…"  
  
"Biggs?" Leia croaked.  
  
"It's okay, I'm right here."  
  
"I can't see you!"  
  
"Can you see anything?" he asked, sounding very concerned.  
  
She would have shaken her head, but the simple task of moving her lips used up all the energy she had at the moment. "No. It's all just a blur. It's light out and that's about all I can tell."  
  
"That's to be expected," came the strange voice. "You suffered a concussion as well as multiple injuries to your eyes. You're lucky you can see anything."  
  
"Who are you?" she asked. "Where am I?"  
  
"I'm Ben Kenobi, and we're in my home."  
  
"Ben Kenobi?!?"  
  
"Yes," he replied with a hint of laughter in his voice. "That crazy old hermit your uncle probably told you about."  
  
"What happened to me?"  
  
There was a long pause. Then, just when Leia was about to repeat her question, Ben said, "You were attacked by Imperial Stormtroopers."  
  
"Wait a minute," Biggs interrupted. "They were sandpeople, not stormtroopers!"  
  
"That's what they wanted you to think," Ben replied.  
  
Leia gasped. "So they knew we had the plans!" she realized suddenly. She struggled to sit up. "Where's Artoo?" She felt a pain in her head and cried out.  
  
"Leia, don't try to get up," ordered Biggs. "You're not well enough yet."  
  
"Where's Artoo?" she repeated in a worried voice.  
  
Then she heard a series of electronic beeps and whistles and almost cried with relief. "Artoo! You're all right!" Artoo replied with more electronic tones. "What happened?" He beeped more, explaining himself, and Leia demanded, "Biggs, what did you do?"  
  
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When Luke was pulled out of hyperspace, he immediately knew something was wrong. "Arbee, what happened?" he asked his R2 unit.  
  
The droid's reply was a series of confused beeps as he tried to figure out what was wrong, then more beeps as he located the problem.  
  
"Something wrong with the hyperdrive?" Luke asked.  
  
Arbee whistled an affirmative reply.  
  
"Can you fix it?"  
  
He replied with a negative.  
  
"The hyperdrive was fine before, what happened?"  
  
More beeping.  
  
"No one could have sabotaged it…could they have?" He'd only made one stop after leaving Dagobah. But no one knew who he was…did they?  
  
He quickly checked what the nearest planet was. Tatooine. Without a functional hyperdrive, it would take him a ridiculously long time to get there. But it was better than sitting in space.  
  
Luke sighed and told Arbee to set the course for Tatooine.  
  
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"Leia, you need to rest and get better," said Biggs. "But meanwhile the plans need to get to the Rebel Base. So I copied them from Artoo's memory and I'm going to go alone."  
  
"Biggs, I wanna go too, you can't leave me here! What if you get captured or something? I could--"  
  
"Leia, be realistic! You can't see. You can barely get up out of bed. How would you defend us?"  
  
"But what would happen to the plans if you got caught?"  
  
"When you get better, you need to take Artoo to the Rebel Base. Just in case I didn't make it. But not now. Let yourself recover first."  
  
Leia cried, the hot tears streaming down her cheeks and onto her pillow. She knew Biggs was right, but no matter how injured she was, she didn't want to just lie around doing nothing while he brought the plans to Yavin IV. Of course, there was this extremely annoying fact that she couldn't see.  
  
"When are you going?" she asked.  
  
"Now," he replied.  
  
"Goodbye," she said.  
  
Biggs bent down and kissed her forehead. "We'll see each other again," he promised, even though he knew it was a promise he might not be able to keep.  
  
"I hope so," Leia said; he caught her double meaning but did not reply. Leia heard his footsteps die away as he walked off.  
  
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Luke could sense another ship coming past, leaving Tatooine. That was a stroke of luck. He could contact whoever it was and ask for help. He quickly sent out a distress signal, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't fire on him.  
  
He heard a static crackle from the comm unit, and then a voice: "Stargazer, this is Twin Suns' Fire. I picked up your signal. What seems to be the problem?"  
  
"Hyperdrive," Luke replied. "My R2 unit can't fix it."  
  
"Well, I doubt I could either, but if you want I could give you a lift. Where are you headed?"  
  
"Yavin."  
  
"No kidding! That's where I'm headed too!"  
  
"Really? In that case, I'll accept your offer. I'm not going anywhere on my own."  
  
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	4. Chapter 4

Three days later, Leia was feeling much better. She could get up and walk, at least while leaning on Ben's arm…but she still couldn't see.  
  
"Ben?" she asked in a whisper.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Will I ever be able to see again?"  
  
There was a pause. "I don't know. With an injury like yours, the odds are against it but… only time will tell."  
  
Leia closed her eyes, deep in silent thought. Finally she said, "Ben, I want to go home now."  
  
Ben took a deep breath. He didn't want to tell her this, but she had to know. "Leia, the stormtroopers that attacked you…"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"Before they went after you they were at your home."  
  
She easily guessed what he was going to say next. "No! Uncle Owen…Aunt Beru…they're…"  
  
"There's nothing left of your home. It was all burnt down."  
  
Leia turned away and covered her face with her hands as the silent tears fell. Ben sensed her feelings, a mix of sadness for her family and hatred for the Empire. When she first joined the Alliance, she had wanted justice. Now, she wanted revenge.  
  
"Ben?" Leia finally whispered.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you know a pilot who can take me to Yavin IV?"  
  
"I thought you were going to wait until you were fully recovered."  
  
"What's the use?" she asked bitterly. "There's nothing for me here now."  
  
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If you have ever been to the Mos Eisley Spaceport, you will know that it is like a bag of candy with worms in it. Most of the worms are easy to spot and pick out; but many are hiding inside the candies, not revealing themselves until you bite down on them. Some of the candies are fine with no worms at all, but you are so disgusted by the rest of them that you quickly lose your sweet tooth.  
  
That was exactly how Ben Kenobi felt while searching for a pilot to take Leia to Yavin IV. Most of the worms were easy to spot even without using the Force; but after that he had to find the hidden worms, which proved to be a bit more difficult. It would be hard to find someone who was a good enough pilot as well as trustworthy enough…and maybe just a little desperate for cash.  
  
If only he could talk Leia out of it; but no, she was stubborn…stubborn as her father, he thought with a grimace. If he hadn't agreed to find her a pilot she would try to find one herself, never mind the fact that she was blind.  
  
Ben was going to find her a pilot. And he was going to keep her safe. She'd probably kill him for what he was going to do, but it was for her own good…wasn't it? 


	5. Chapter 5

Han Solo was in deep poodoo. He had been smuggling spice and, when forced to play tag with an Imperial starship, had dumped the load. That was many credits' worth of spice; no wonder Jabba the Hutt put such a price on his head.  
  
But then this crazy old man came along, and it looked like Han was in the clear. The guy was willing to pay him seventeen thousand to take a girl and a droid off-planet. It was so ridiculous the thought he must be dreaming. No one would pay that much for a transport…unless, of course, it was illegal. Not than Han minded. He was a smuggler, after all.  
  
They arranged to meet in an hour, where the Millennium Falcon was docked. As he old man left, Han shook his head and thought, This is crazy!  
  
Life was like sabaac. Sometimes, just when you thought you would lose, you were dealt a lucky hand. 


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you a lot people who reviewed!  
  
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Goodbye, Tatooine, Leia thought. Maybe for a long time, and maybe forever. Maybe when she could see, she'd come back again...then again, there wasn't much to see.   
  
Ben stopped. "Here we are."   
  
"Thanks, Ben," Leia said. "Thanks for everything. Goodbye."   
  
"And may the Force be with you."   
  
Without asking Ben what he meant, Leia put her hand on Artoo-Detoo's dome and let him lead her into the ship.   
  
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Han watched the petite woman walk slowly and uncertainly into the Millennium Falcon, guided by the squat droid. It took him a minute to figure out what was wrong.   
  
The girl was blind!   
  
"Hello," he said, and she turned her head towards the sound of his voice, seemingly startled. "I'm Han Solo." Chewie growled, and he continued, "And this is my first mate Chewbacca."   
  
"Leia Skywalker," she replied. "In case Ben hasn't told you, I'm temporarily blind, so I might have a little trouble getting around."   
  
"No, the old man didn't tell me. But it ain't too long of a trip. My ship is the fastest in the galaxy," he bragged.   
  
"Really. You sound so sure of yourself."   
  
Han ignored that. "Follow me," he said, and Artoo whistled and rolled along, guiding Leia through the ship.   
  
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Quite a while later, Han left the cockpit and walked over to Leia, who was playing a hologame with Chewie. Artoo beeped every once in a while, and then Leia gave him an instruction; Han realized that Artoo must be telling her what was going on on the board so she could make her move accordingly. He had never seen anyone play like that before.   
  
He looked more closely at the board and realized why Chewie looked--and sounded--so frustrated: Leia was winning.   
  
Leia moved again, and Chewie let out a roar as he realized that the game was over and he had lost. Artoo responded with a rude beep, and Leia said, "Don't be such a sore loser."   
  
"I guess you've never met a wookiee before," Han said.   
  
Leia sat up, startled, and turned her head in the direction of his voice. She hadn't realized he was there.   
  
"Wookiees," Han continued, "have been known to pull people's arms out when they lose."   
  
"How about I play you, then," Leia retorted, showing no reaction at all to his statement.   
  
Han was surprised and mildly amused by the girl's reply. "Nah, I never was to good at that," he said. "Bet I could beat you in sabaac, though."   
  
Leia was not very good at sabaac, but she wasn't about to admit that to him. "You're on."   
  
"All right." Han took out his sabaac deck and began to deal.   
  
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Next post, Han and Leia play sabaac, and we find out what is happening to Luke and Biggs! 


	7. Chapter 7

**The Sabacc Game**   
  
Everyone better like this post, it cost me 35 cents :p  
  
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Leia put her cards face-down in her lap after Artoo informed her of her hand. She had the Idiot, the ten of coins, and a smuggler. With the Mos Eisley rules they were playing by, that came out to sixteen points. Not bad.   
  
"You make the first bet," Han said.   
  
"I--" Leia's voice faltered. She had almost forgotten about the betting involved in this game. "I don't have any credits on me at the moment."   
  
"That's okay, I take I.O.U.'s," Han replied cheerfully.   
  
Leia hesitated.   
  
"C'mon, we don't have forever before we reach Dagobah, you know."   
  
"What?!?" Leia shrieked, momentarily forgetting about the game. "We're not going to Dagobah. We're going to Yavin Four!"   
  
Han shrugged. "That's not what the old man said. My instructions were to take you to Dagobah and lookd for someone named Yoda, and then take the droid to Yavin Four."   
  
Leia cursed. "I should have known. All that concern about my safety, how could I think he'd actually let me go to Yavin Four? Turn the ship around. I'm staying with Artoo, I'm not going to Dagobah."   
  
"Well, you know what?" Han replied angrily. "Unless I do what I'm supposed to I don't get payed. So you're going to Dagobah."   
  
Leia thought for a moment, considered her sabacc hand. She had a fairly good chance of winning. "How about we make a bet?" she suggested. "If you win, I go to Dagobah. If I win, you take me to Yavin Four."   
  
Han considered this for a moment. "All right," he agreed. "I call."   
  
"I'd like one card," Leia said. Hopefully it would be enough to beat him. "And don't cheat."   
  
"Who, me?"   
  
Leia picked up the card Han had placed in front of her, and when Artoo told her what it was she couldn't believe her luck. The seven of Staves! Pure Sabacc! She had won!   
  
Han put down one card and drew one. "Are you finished?" he asked in a flat voice that did not betray how good or bad his hand was.   
  
"Yes!" Leia said excitedly, and put down her hand. "Sabacc!"   
  
There was silence; then she heard Han put his cards down on the table. Artoo beeped to her: Han had the other Idiot, the two of Sabers, and the three of Flasks.   
  
"Idiot's array," he said. "That beats your pure sabacc."   
  
She had lost.   
  
"Well, I guess I'll find out why Ben's sending me to Dagobah," she said, and Han thought she sounded as if she was about to cry.   
  
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Darth Vader sensed something…an unfamiliar presence, one that he had never felt before; and yet it reminded him of something, or someone…   
  
PADMÉ.   
  
The thought came to his mind unbidden and unwelcome, and yet he was reluctant to push it away. Yes, somehow it reminded him of Padmé.   
  
Another thought crossed his mind…but no, it was impossible. When Padmé had died, so had their child…   
  
Hadn't he?   
  
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Luke stiffened. He sensed another Jedi. No, not a Jedi. A Sith.   
  
DARTH VADER.   
  
Yoda had told him of the evil Sith lord who had betrayed and murdered Luke's real parents. That was how he came to be raised by Bail Organa on Alderaan.   
  
And then Luke realized: If he could sense Vader, then Vader could sense him. Vader would know he was a Jedi. And whoever this person was who had rescued him would be in grave danger.   
  
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"He knows I'm here," Luke said softly.   
  
Biggs was about to ask what the heck he was talking about when suddenly he spotted something. "Is that a moon?"   
  
"That's no moon," Luke said in sudden realization. "That's an Imperial space station!"   
  
"No, that can't be! It's too big to be a space station."   
  
And then they started moving. "Tractor beam," Luke immediately said.   
  
Biggs cursed and then shouted angrily, "You think I don't know that?"   
  
"Calm down and let me fly."   
  
"CALM DOWN, and let someone else FLY MY SHIP?!?" Biggs had just about had it. "Those two ideas do NOT belong in the same sentence!"   
  
"Get ready to fire proton torpedoes at my signal," Luke went on, ignoring Biggs' outburst.   
  
"Are you even listening to me?"   
  
"Please, just trust me. I know what I'm doing, and if we don't do it within the next five seconds it'll be too late."   
  
Biggs shrugged, decided that a slim chance of escape was better than none, and got ready to fire the proton torpedoes.   
  
"All right…one…two…three!"   
  
At the exact moment that Biggs fired the torpedoes, Luke jerked the ship upwards. The motion almost threw them both off-balance. Luke stared, then said in relief, "Yes! It worked!"   
  
"What worked?"   
  
"The tractor beam is now pulling the proton torpedoes in instead of us. And if we can get out of here quickly enough, they won't realize it until it's too late."   
  
* You can't escape that easily. *   
  
The voice came inside of Luke's head; a moment later the tractor beam locked back onto the ship and they were being pulled steadily in once more.   
  
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"You almost allowed them to escape."   
  
"I'm sorry, milord. It won't happen again."   
  
"That is correct."   
  
Vader reached out his hand, and the man grabbed his throat and gasped for air as his windpipe collapsed. Then Vader spun around and left to meet his son.  
  
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	8. Chapter 8

Look, a post!!!  
  
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"We're coming out of hyperspace," Han told Leia. "Just thought you might like to know."  
  
"Whatever," Leia replied, obviously less than thrilled at the idea of finally reaching Dagobah.  
  
Han shrugged and left her alone as he watched the thin white lines of hyperspace morph back into the stars of realspace.  
  
Chewbacca roared. "Yeah, I know," Han replied. "We'd better be careful going down."  
  
"What happened?" asked Leia.  
  
"The atmosphere is very foggy. We won't be able to see very well."  
  
That proved to be the understatement of the year when they entered Dagobah's atmosphere and lost not only their physical sight, but also the ship's sensors. Chewbacca roared again. "I know, I know!" Han shouted angrily, trying in vain to fly the ship to a safe, dry landing.  
  
"This is wonderful," Leia said sarcastically.  
  
"Unless you're prepared to land us safely, you can shut up right now," Han ordered.  
  
"I bet I could, most better than y--" Leia started to reply, but at that very moment they crashed into a swamp.  
  
Han cursed. Chewie roared. Artoo-Detoo let out a whistle. And Leia said, "Oh, dear."  
  
"Great! This is just great!" Han shouted. "If anything's wrong with the Falcon, I'll--"  
  
"You'll what?" Leia replied in a tone of competing decibel level. "Look, mister, I don't even wanna be here, so don't take it out on me!"  
  
Han was about to reply, but Chewbacca roared, ending the argument; even though Leia didn't understand Wookiee she had a pretty good guess of what he said. She took a deep breath, then said, "We should probably go outside and see what's there."  
  
A short while later, the four of them were outside of the ship and standing on a patch of swampy ground. The Millennium Falcon unfortunately had landed in a spot where there was more swamp and less ground. Han couldn't imagine how they could get her out.  
  
"Who did Ben say we were supposed to meet?" Leia asked Han, holding onto Artoo to prevent a misstep.  
  
"Some guy named Yoda," Han replied. "Come on, let's try and find him. I wanna get outa here."  
  
"But stuck there, your ship is," came a strange voice from behind them.  
  
Leia spun around to see the stranger and then remembered that she couldn't. Han immediately pulled out his blaster and turned to face the creature, who cowered away from them, covering its face with short arms.  
  
"Away put your weapon!" the creature begged. "I mean you no harm!"  
  
Han fired.  
  
But the laser didn't seem to harm the creature; rather, he calmly reached out a three-fingered hand and deflected it into the sky.  
  
"What did you do that for?" Leia cried out, not realizing what had happened; Han just stood there, staring, mouth gaping wide in shock.  
  
Artoo-Detoo beeped at Leia, who replied in disbelief, "He did WHAT?"  
  
"Yoda I am," the creature introduced himself. "Seek me, you do." Yoda gave a wheezy sort of laugh. "Yes, and found me, you have, hmm?"  
  
"Why did Ben send me here?" Leia asked, trying to picture a face to go with the voice, and failing. Then she remembered the blaster shot, and said quickly, "Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine, I am!" Yoda replied cheerfully. "Send you here, Obi-Wan did, because become a Jedi you will."  
  
Han found his voice again and asked, "How did you do that?"  
  
"With the Force, many things one can do," Yoda replied mysteriously. "Yes, many things."  
  
Questions raced through Leia's mind. What was happening? Who was this? What was a Jedi? What did this creature look like?  
  
"Much confusion I sense in you," Yoda said to Leia. Then, after a pause, he continued, "Want to see me, you do?"  
  
Immediately an image came into her mind: Surrounded by a dark forest of swamp plants was a short, green, troll-like creature with pointy ears, supporting himself with a cane. And yet, she got the impression that she did not need the cane for support. As soon as this image sank in, it faded, and her eyes saw only blackness once again.  
  
"How did you do that?" she wanted to know. "Could you show me how to do it again?"  
  
"Perhaps, in time," Yoda said. "But now, we eat! Yes, eat we will!"  
  
***************  
  
Guided by Artoo-Detoo, Leia followed Yoda through the swampy forest, Han and Chewie trailing behind. They eventually reached a small house that Yoda could stand comfortably in but whose roof came up to about Chewie's waist.  
  
Chewie roared, and Artoo beeped. "Of course, not fit Chewbacca will!" Yoda said. "Know that I do. Stay outside he must. Come with me, Leia will."  
  
Bending over as Artoo warned her, Leia followed Yoda into the house. "What are you looking for? she asked him when she heard him rummaging through things.  
  
"Something for you," he replied. "Hold it for many years, I did. so glad you have come, I am." He pulled out something and placed it in Leia's hand. "Found it, I have!" he declared.  
  
Leia felt the object quizzically. "What is it?"  
  
"Your father's lightsaber, that is."  
  
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Another post coming soon. If anyone could help me think of a title for this story, I would very much appreciate it. Thanks! 


	9. Chapter 9

I know I haven't updated in a long time, so here's an extra-long chapter to make up for it.  
  
***********   
  
"Let's see," Biggs worked out in his head as the ship was pulled in. "If two stormtroopers come in to search the ship, we stun them both and swipe their uniforms. If one comes, one of us pretends to be the stormtrooper and the other is the prisoner."   
  
"What if there's more than two?" Luke asked.   
  
"Well, then we're pretty much screwed, aren't we?" Biggs snapped back. "There's really not much we can do, we're just sitting ducks here."   
  
Luke looked confused. "What's a duck?"   
  
"Never mind. My point is, we have a very slim chance of getting out of here alive, even if we get out of the ship."   
  
"Maybe I could do something."   
  
"What? This is an Imperial Death Star. I don't know who you are, but I do know that you couldn't possibly know more than I do about the Death Star. The plans--" He stopped short in sudden realization. "The plans! I've got to destroy them!"   
  
He pulled out the datachip that held the plans to the Death Star. "Well, it's all up to you, Leia, and Artoo," he whispered. "I hope you make it off Tatooine." Then he blasted the datachip, melting it beyond all recognition.   
  
"Maybe I can get us out," Luke insisted. "There must be some way to turn this tractor beam off."   
  
Biggs started to ask how, and why Luke couldn't have brought that up *before* he blasted the plans, but at that moment the ship's door was opened. Biggs had his blaster out ready to fire, but he still wasn't prepared for what happened next.   
  
***************   
  
"What is a lightsaber?" Leia asked Yoda, curiously feeling the cold metal cylinder.   
  
"The weapon of a Jedi, this is. Take good care of it you must."   
  
"You said it belonged to my father. Then my father was a Jedi?"   
  
"Yes, a powerful Jedi your father was. Very powerful."   
  
"Yoda...how did my parents die?" Leia asked, forgetting for a moment her previous important question of what exactly a Jedi was.   
  
"Hmm...tell you now, I will not. Not ready are you."   
  
"What do you mean, I'm not ready? They're my parents, and I deserve to know what happened to them!"   
  
"Tell you I will. But patience you must have."   
  
"You just tell me why I should listen to a short, ugly little...troll!" Leia sputtered angrily.   
  
"Ugly! Hmm! When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not!"   
  
Since Yoda didn't seem to take offense, Leia felt horrible immediately. "I'm sorry. It's just that...my uncle never told me about my parents."   
  
"Trying to protect you, Owen was."   
  
"Protect me? From what?"   
  
"Find out, you will. But not today. Begin your training, we will."   
  
"But I still don't understand. What is a Jedi?"   
  
"One who uses the Force, a Jedi is. An energy field, the Force is, made by all living things. Guardians of the peace, we are...or were. Kill many Jedi, Darth Vader did."   
  
"So there aren't very many Jedi left?"   
  
"Three there are. I, Obi-Wan, and Luke Organa. And then you, there is."   
  
"But won't Darth Vader, whoever he is, try to kill us, too?"   
  
"Why ask this you do? Afraid you are?"   
  
"No, I'm not afraid," Leia quickly lied. "What does that have to do with anything?"   
  
"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Fear the path to the Dark Side is. And go to the Dark Side you must not."   
  
"When will you teach me, Yoda?"   
  
"When ready to learn you are."   
  
"I'm ready now."   
  
"Then begin we will."   
  
**************  
  
Biggs heard the eerie sound of loud breathing before he saw the tall, dark figure that had entered the ship. He pulled out his blaster and fired one, two, three shots, which were all deflected back before the blaster was yanked from his hand by some strong invisible force.   
  
"So, Prince Luke Organa," Darth Vader said, disregarding Biggs for the moment, "I have looked foreward to finally meeting you." He turned to his stormtroopers. "Take the rebel away for questioning."   
  
As they put the stun cuffs on him, Biggs stared at Luke in disbelief. "You knew this would happen all along, didn't you, you lying little--"   
  
As Biggs called him every derogatory term Luke had ever heard (and some he hadn't), Luke tried to say, "Bug I didn't--"   
  
He hadn't finished is statement when they took Biggs away. Now he was all alone with the man who had killed his parents.   
  
"What do you wnt from me?" he demanded, summoning the Force to keep his voice steady.   
  
"You have not yet drawn your weapon. You are doing well in controlling your anger. Yoda has taught you well."   
  
"I don't know anyone named Yoda."   
  
"Your thoughts deceive you. Yoda is still alive. And together we will destroy him, along with all the Jedi that remain in the galaxy."   
  
"I'll never join you!"   
  
"Vader slowly pulled out his lightsaber and extended the glowing red blade. "Then you will die."   
  
Luke whipped out his own green lightsaber and blocked Vader's swing; and so the duel began.  
  
***********   
  
"Can I use the Force to see again?" Leia asked Yoda hopefully as they ate.   
  
"Not need to see do you. Sense everything around him a Jedi can."   
  
"But how can I do that?"   
  
"Reach out with the Force you must. Be aware of your surroundings."   
  
Artoo beeped a question, reflecting Leia's own confusion.   
  
Yoda sighed. "Show you, I will. Outside, we must go."   
  
Leia followed Yoda and Artoo outside. Yoda took out a training probe and gave her the lightsaber. He showed her how to turn it on, and she heard the hum as the blue blade extended. "What do I do?"   
  
"Block lasers with a lightsaber you can. Sense the training probe you must."   
  
"But I can't--"   
  
"You do not know if you can or can't until you do."   
  
Leia sighed and closed her eyes (*As if it makes a difference,* she thought) and pictured herself reaching out with her mind. "Ow!" she cried out as a blast from the training probe hit her in the arm.   
  
"Not concentrating are you!"   
  
"Sorry."   
  
"Reach out with the Force you must."   
  
"I'm trying!"   
  
"No! Do or do not. There is no try."   
  
Leia took a deep breath and reached out with her mind once more. A blast came towards her again, but this time she was ready, and easily moved the lightsaber to block it. Then came another, and another, but she was there first. "Hey, this isn't too hard!" she exclaimed happily. Then she sensed something else, and turned around. "Han?"   
  
She wasn't ready for the next blast. "Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing her backside.   
  
"Concentrate you must!" Yoda scolded her.   
  
"Very interesting," Han commented. "But it would be nice if I could get my ship out of that muck so I could leave."   
  
"And what am I supposed to do about it?" Leia snapped back. "You 'landed,' if it even deserves to be called that."   
  
"Hey, it's not my fault!"   
  
"You can't leave yet anyway, without me!"   
  
"Look, I've got a price on my head, and the longer I stay here the worse it is for me. I just want to go get my money."   
  
"How am I supposed to get off-planet without a ship?"   
  
"That's your problem, sister, not mine."   
  
"Stay you must," Yoda interjected, "unless get your ship out you can."   
  
"You stay out of this," Han snapped.   
  
Chewie roared in agreement with Yoda.   
  
"Since when did you become such a pessimist?"   
  
"You think Ben's gonna give you the money when he finds out you abandoned me here?" Leia asked Han.   
  
Han thought for a moment. He really needed that money, and he couldn't risk a chance of him not getting it. "Three days."   
  
"Han--"   
  
"Three days, and that's my final offer."   
  
"Fine," Leia agreed. "If you can get your ship out in three days."   
  
Han was about to reply when he realized she was probably right. Especially considering the fact that he had not come prepared for having to pull the Millennium Falcon out of a swamp.  
  
***********   
  
"Where is your rebel base?"   
  
"I'm not telling you anything!"   
  
The Imperial probe droid hovered closer, the needle's sharp point coming too close for comfort. Biggs inhaled sharply.   
  
"What's the matter? Don't like needles?"   
  
"Is it common for victims of interrogation to like needles?"   
  
There was no answer given; which, Biggs reflected, was probably a good thing.   
  
"I'll give you one last chance to tell me the location of the rebel base, and then you get the needle."   
  
"Screw you."   
  
"I don't believe I've heard of that planetary system."   
  
Great. Just what he needed. An interrogator with a sense of humor.   
  
He felt the cold needle pierce through the skin of his forehead, and smiled. For he knew something that they didn't: the drug that he'd been taking for the past six months would interact with the injection and kill him. They'd never know where the base was.   
  
It's all up to you, Leia, he whispered mentally. I love you. Goodbye.   
  
**************** 


	10. Chapter 10

****************   
"Good, good!" Yoda encouraged Leia. "Let the Force flow through you!"   
  
Leia felt with the Force for the rock she could not see and lifted it up to join the other rocks in the air. She reached out for Artoo-Detoo, who let out an electronic squeal as he was raised up off the ground. With a smile, she reached out for Yoda, lifting the Jedi Master into the air.   
  
Suddenly she felt a pain in her head. "Biggs!" she shouted, and everything toppled to the ground. Everything was suddenly quiet except for Leia's sobs.   
  
"Now happening, is it," Yoda said quietly. "Darth Vader trying to turn the Jedi is."   
  
"Biggs is dead," Leia managed between sobs. "It's because of Vader!" she added in sudden realization. "Vader is responsible." Her initial sadness was quickly replaced with sudden rage.   
  
"So quick to anger you should not be!" Yoda warned her. "The path to the Dark Side that is!"   
  
"I've got to go there," Leia said, almost to herself, not seeming to hear Yoda.   
  
"Nothing you can do is there."   
  
"Yes there is!" she insisted stubbornly. "Vader is fighting with a Jedi, I can feel it. I can't let Vader kill him, too."   
  
"Get there in time, you cannot. Fight his own battles, Luke must."   
  
"Where's Han?" Leia asked Artoo, not wanting to hear Yoda's voice of reason.   
  
"If leave now you do, never finish your training you will!"   
  
"That's a chance I have to take." Then Leia followed Artoo, disappearing into the trees.   
  
"If sense Luke Leia can, a strong Jedi she is," Yoda said to himself. "And tempted to by the Dark Side she is."   
  
Then Yoda went to look for something he had not had the need or desire to use in a long time.   
  
************* 


	11. Chapter 11

Luke blocked Vader's attacks again and again; the duel seemed to go on infinitely with neither one gaining any ground. Luke felt himself begin to tire and knew that Vader sensed it also. Yoda had taught him some dueling techniques, but he had never had an actual opponent before.  
  
"It is pointless to resist the power of the Dark Side," Vader said.  
  
Luke did not reply, but Vader could sense his anger grow.  
  
"Together, think what we could accomplish for the Empire!"  
  
"I hate the Empire and I hate you!" Deep down inside, Luke realized how childish he sounded, but he was too angry to care.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You killed my father!"  
  
"No, Luke. I am your father."  
  
**********************  
  
"Han!" Leia shouted, running over to where he and Chewie were standing knee-deep in swamp water, trying to figure out how to remove the Millenium Falcon from the swamp, where she was slowly but steadily sinking under the muck.  
  
Chewie roared in reply.  
  
"We have to leave now," she ordered. "There's a Jedi in trouble, I gotta go help him."  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, the Falcon is sinking," Han snapped back. "And I don't have the time to chauffer you across the galaxy."  
  
"Fine. Let's make a bet. I know how much you love to gamble."  
  
"And what if I do?"  
  
"If I can get your ship out, you take me where I want to go."  
  
"What if you can't?"  
  
"You can leave me here when you decide to leave."  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Move."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You deaf?" Leia shouted angrily. "Get outta my way!"  
  
As Han and Chewie stepped out of the swamp, Leia reached out her hand and reached out in her anger to touch the Force. She felt strong, more powerful that she had ever felt before. She sensed the ship begin to rise out of the swamp as Han stared in silent stupor.  
  
*******************  
  
Yoda closed his eyes and shook his head as he felt Leia's use of the Dark Side. "Begun, it has." 


	12. Chapter 12

**************   
  
"Where is this place you want to go?" Han asked Leia as they got into the ship.   
  
Leia closed her eyes, reaching out with the Force. "Too close." She shuddered. "And yet...not close enough."   
  
"Which would be where?"   
  
"Shut up and let me fly." She sat down in Han's pilot chair and began to set the hyperspace coordinates.   
  
"What do you mean, let you fly? You're blind!"   
  
*Or maybe not.* Leia reached out again, this time summoning the power of the Dark Side. She smiled as the blurred image began to clear until it became sharper than ever before.   
  
Chewie roared a question, and the image blurred again as Leia momentarily lost focus. "Shut up!" Leia roared back.   
  
Han and Chewie were both pretty quiet after that.   
  
Letting the hate flow through her, Leia lifted the Millenium Falcon off the ground and up into space.   
  
**********   
  
In his hut on Dagobah, Yoda closed his eyes, a sad frown forming on his face.   
  
************   
  
And somewhere, far away, another ancient, wrinkled face wore a smile. 


	13. Chapter 13

***************   
  
"Search your feelings, Luke! You know it to be true!"   
  
"No! That's impossible!"   
  
"Come with me to the Dark Side, and we can rule this galaxy as father and son!"   
  
Luke's anger was strong now. Disregarding everything Yoda had taught him, he lashed out at Vader, slashing with his lightsaber. He no longer thought of defending himself, only killing his enemy.   
  
But Vader was a superior fighter to Luke, and blocked every attack. When Luke weakened, Vader was ready. Luke was soon backed into the wall.   
  
"If you will not join me, then you must die!"   
  
*****************   
  
They were almost there. Leia could sense it. Her anger intensified as she thought of how she would avenge Biggs' death by killing Darth Vader.   
  
It never occured to her that she had never dueled with a lightsaber before. It never occured to her that, even in the strength of her anger, she might not win.   
  
The thought never crossed her mind at all.   
  
*****************   
  
Yoda clipped his lightsaber to his belt. He hadn't had to use it for so many years, but he had a feeling he would need it now.   
  
As he climbed into his tiny ship and took off, he hoped he would not be too late.   
  
****************** 


	14. Chapter 14

Darth Vader froze. He sensed something. A presence so familiar, although he'd never felt it before. At first, it seemed to almost be a continuation of his son's presence, only…darker.  
  
A twin.  
  
Not one child, but two. Two, that had been hidden from him all these long years.  
  
A flashback, to times long ago…when he was still Anakin Skywalker…when he was still human…when he was still capable of love.  
  
He could not kill his son. How could he kill his son?  
  
But in a flash of sudden realization, he knew that if he did not kill his son, his son would kill him.  
  
********************  
  
Luke, sensing Vader's guard down, took the opportunity to attack. He was so far gone to the Dark Side himself that he could not sense Vader's change of heart. Vader was no longer a person. He could never be a person. He could never be a father.  
  
He was the enemy. The enemy deserved to die.  
  
********************  
  
Leia stiffened. She sensed something…someone. A presence closeby that somehow reminded her of…herself.  
  
*Vader is the enemy.*  
  
The thought came to her mind from an external source, full of hatred and confusion. It was as if the one who had made the statement was trying to convince himself.  
  
*Yes,* she affirmed silently. *Vader is the enemy.*  
  
In response, she felt a new surge of hatred that nearly matched her own.  
  
**********************  
  
The evil smile broadened. "Good! Give in to your anger. You, like your father, are now mine." 


	15. Chapter 15

Luke was fighting a losing battle. He knew it, and Vader knew it. But still they fought, as men will do, for the sake only of fighting, leaving all logic behind. What they fought for no longer mattered; in his maddened state, Luke wasn't sure if he could recall the reason.  
  
Hesnotmyfatherhesnotmyfatherhesnotmyfather…  
  
It was not possible. And yet, deep down in a hidden part of his mind that was somehow still functioning, Luke knew it to be true.  
  
***************  
  
Worry wrinkles creased Yoda's forehead, making the already ancient face seem years older. He was not going to make it. He would not be able to save them.  
  
There was only one way. One last chance…  
  
******************  
  
Leia tensed as she stepped out of the Millenium Falcon and onto the Death Star. Something was not right.  
  
It was too quiet. That was it, she decided. That was all it was.  
  
But it wasn't. There was something more.  
  
She shrugged it off. There was no time to worry about that. Lightsaber in hand, she reached out with the Force to find Darth Vader. He was closely. A slow smile crossed her lips at the sweet thought of revenge.  
  
*****************  
  
Chewie softly roared a question as Han watched Leia walk away.  
  
Han shook his head in reply. "Why should I? It's her suicide."  
  
Another roar, accompanied by a shrug.  
  
"No!"  
  
This was followed by what sounded like a laugh.  
  
"Dammit, leave me alone!" Han shouted, slamming his fist into the arm of his chair. Before Chewie could reply, he got up and walked off in the same direction Leia had gone.  
  
Artoo-Detoo beeped a question, but Chewie had no answer to give. 


	16. Chapter 16

From the safety of her hiding place, Leia watched Luke fight Vader. Luke was visibly tiring; she knew he did not have much time left. Like a crouching tiger ready to spring, she awaited the right moment to enter the fight.  
  
She did not sense the hand on her shoulder until it was already there.  
  
Leia jumped, startled, and her sight faded to black for a moment. How could she let that happen? She had to be aware of her surroundings always…but in her anger, it was so hard.  
  
It was Han.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "I never asked you to follow me!"  
  
"I wouldn't have done it if you had," he snapped back.  
  
"Then go away!"  
  
There was no reasoning with a madwoman, he decided. He could not prevent her from hurting herself. The most he could do was help her after he was hurt.  
  
But by then, it might be too late.  
  
******************  
  
Vader smiled beneath his mask. The fight was all but over.  
  
*Oh no, it's not.*  
  
And suddenly there were two of them. But in his mind, they felt like one, somehow linked together, as if one was but an extension of the other.  
  
But the new one was still full of angry energy, which she seemed to project to his son. He moved faster than ever before, blocking the attacks of two lightsabers; one of which, though he didn't know it, was his own.  
  
*******************  
  
Luke didn't have the time or energy to ask who his ally was or where she had come from. He only realized that suddenly he was strong enough to continue this fight. She had somehow given him energy.  
  
She seemed so familiar, although he had never seen her before. As if somehow he had always known her…  
  
Then he realized that they were still fighting, and his wandering thoughts turned back to the battle once more.  
  
*******************  
  
*You cannot win this fight,* came Darth Vader's voice inside Leia's head.  
  
But he was wrong, she told herself. Her anger made her strong. She could do anything. Anything!  
  
Or not.  
  
She watched in horror as Darth Vader attacked Luke. She stood frozen as she watched, as if in slow motion, the red lightsaber slice off his hand at the wrist.  
  
Screaming in sympathetic pain, she grabbed her own wrist, dropping her lightsaber and falling to the ground. Her sight failed her once more, but not her senses; she felt Darth Vader looming over her helpless form.  
  
"Not kill them, you will," came a voice.  
  
Yoda had come to save them. 


	17. Chapter 17

Wincing in pain and pushing himself along the floor with his one hand, Luke crawled to the open doorway. He didn't know where he would go when he reached it; his only thought was to somehow get to safety.  
  
But soon, he knew, the guards would come. And then there would be no way out.  
  
*************************  
  
"Chewie!" Han whispered over the comlink. "Get over here right away!"  
  
The wookiee appeared moments later and roared a question.  
  
Their attention turned suddenly to Yoda, whose green lightsaber blocked Darth Vader's red one. He sure could jump around, Han thought, for a little old dude with a cane.  
  
But even he could see who was winning.  
  
"Go get the kid," he told Chewie. "Hurry up. We're running out of time."  
  
**************************  
  
Yoda was less agile than he had been when Vader had last seen him fight. How long ago had that been, when he had lost his arm to Dooku…twenty years, forty, a hundred? It seemed like another life.  
  
"I have grown much since our last meeting. Then, I was but the learner. Now, I am the master."  
  
"Only a master of evil, are you!" Yoda replied.  
  
Vader attacked again, and Yoda easily blocked the blow. But they both could sense that he would not be able to do so for long.  
  
***************************  
  
Artoo-Detoo let out a low whistle. Stormtroopers were coming. He knew the ship couldn't remain unnoticed for long.  
  
There was only one thing for the little droid to do; and so, with a little whir, he went off to do it.  
  
****************************  
  
*There is no death, only the Force.*  
  
He had done all he could. It was up to Luke and Leia now.  
  
Yoda closed his eyes, calm and peaceful. With one last fatal stroke of Darth Vader's lightsaber, his spirit joined those of the Jedi Masters of long ago.  
  
*****************************  
  
Leia felt a searing pain in her head that displayed rainbows before her blind eyes. She knew that Yoda was gone.  
  
"No!" she screamed. Her body shook with her sobs.  
  
And suddenly there were arms around her, lifting her up. She held on tight, still shaking, somehow finding safety in those arms.  
  
*************************  
  
Darth Vader watched as the Jedi Master disappeared, robes and lightsaber falling to the floor in a heap.  
  
He saw from the corner of his eye his children being carried away. He didn't try to stop them. What was the use? They could never love him now.  
  
He could never love them.  
  
**************************  
  
Blaster fire came from all around, and Chewie roared a curse. What was going on? The Millenium Falcon was shooting down stormtroopers!  
  
***************************  
  
Artoo squealed with delight as he hit another stormtrooper, and wondered why he'd never been a gunner before. If droids could have fun, which many doubted, this was definitely it.  
  
****************************  
  
Ducking blaster fire, Chewie and Han ran into the ship, carrying Luke and Leia. "Chewie, take off!" Han shouted, hitting the panel to close the door.  
  
Chewie roared something Han couldn't quite make out; something about a "damn droid." He made his way to the cockpit and, securing Luke in a seat, took off.  
  
****************************  
  
Han tried to put Leia down, but she kept her arms tight around his neck, still in a state of shock. Her body still shook, and his shirt was wet with her tears.  
  
"Leia," he said firmly, "I'm gonna put your down now. Everything's gonna be okay."  
  
"No!" she cried, her voice wavering, sounding like a frightened child. "Don't leave me!"  
  
Han opened his mouth to reply, but decided it wasn't the greatest time to bring up the kid with the chopped off hand. Hopefully Chewie and Artoo could take care of him until they got to a medical droid.  
  
Han sat down, Leia in his lap, and began gently stroking her hair, until he realized what he was doing and pulled away. "It's gonna be okay," he repeated.  
  
"No! You don't understand! I killed him. I *killed* him!"  
  
"No you didn't!"  
  
"I did! I killed Biggs and then I killed Master Yoda. It's all my fault!"  
  
"You listen to me!" Han shouted, fairly shaking the girl. "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything!"  
  
This only prompted another outburst of tears.  
  
Han hugged Leia closer to him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."  
  
In a few minutes--hours--Han lost track of time--Leia fell asleep. Even in sleep her grip around him was too tight for him to put her down, so he just sat with her in his arms until he fell asleep.  
  
As he drifted off, he wondered why. Why were some people made to suffer? Why did the bad guys always win? Why couldn't something as little as them ever change something as big as the Empire?  
  
Or could they?  
  
To Be Continued…  
in a sequel 


End file.
